If you’re looking to add EV charging to the services your business or nonprofit offers, Level 2 chargers might be the best fit for your needs. While the race to find the fastest EV charger captures headlines, Level 2 chargers work in a variety of settings.
In this post, we’ll explore the top use cases for Level 2 EV charging among your organization’s amenities.
The Case for Level 2 Charging
While Level 1 EV chargers can charge a car with only a standard 120-volt household outlet, it’s not practical for most residential or commercial uses. Charging a battery-powered EV (BEV) to 80% can take longer than 50 hours with a Level 1 charger.
Level 2 Chargers Work with Both BEVs and Hybrids
Even charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) can take up to 6 hours with a Level 1 charger. Level 2 chargers, on the other hand, can take as few as 4 to 10 hours to charge a BEV.
Unlike DC fast chargers, Level 2 chargers can also charge hybrid vehicles. That capability makes Level 2 chargers an excellent choice for organizations that want to provide charging for all kinds of EVs.
Level 2 Chargers Provide Dependable Charging at a Lower Price
Compared to DC fast chargers, Level 2 chargers are more affordable for most businesses and households. From lower upfront costs to lower ongoing energy usage bills, these economical chargers can provide dependable charging without the sticker shock that DC fast chargers incur.
Best Use Cases for Level 2 EV Chargers
With the budgetary advantages and widespread usability that Level 2 chargers offer, they remain the charging option of choice for a wide range of homes, businesses, and nonprofits. Here are some of the best ways to utilize Level 2 charging for your business or real estate investment.
1. Residential Charging
Residential Level 2 chargers only require a 240-volt outlet. Most homes already have at least one such outlet for major appliances, such as dryers or stoves.
Level 2 chargers are perfect for EV-driving homeowners. They can plug their cars into a Level 2 charger at the end of the day and return to an 80% charged car the next morning. And when you factor in the cost savings of fueling an EV compared to a gas guzzler, it’s a bargain in the long run.
If a homeowner doesn’t have a 240-volt outlet in their garage, it won’t break the bank to install one. According to Angi, a home services platform, installing a 240-volt outlet will likely cost no more than $300.
Such an upgrade can make a major difference in the selling price of both new and established homes, resulting in a 1.5% to 3.5% rise in home value, as a JuiceNet post shows. The same article found that homes with Level 2 chargers sell 13% faster than comparable homes without EV charging facilities.
2. Multi-Family Residential Developments
With EV ownership at all-time highs, it makes sense for real estate developers to include Level 2 charging in the amenities they offer tenants. Providing the convenience of overnight charging can go a long way toward making your rental property the most desirable in the neighborhood.
Many tenants in multi-family complexes don’t have private garages. Even if they do, community rules might prohibit them from upgrading their garages’ electrical infrastructure to accommodate an EV charger.
To keep your EV-owning tenants as long-term residents, install a few chargers in the parking lot near building entrances. Your tenants will appreciate having a fully charged car to head off to work every morning, and you’ll enjoy the extra revenue that comes your way from the fees they pay to charge their vehicles.
3. Workplace Charging
Providing employees with the ability to save their valuable free time by fueling their cars during their 8-hour workday can prove a powerful incentive to work for your company.
There’s another benefit to workplace charging – employee peace of mind. As the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection points out, EV drivers might arrive at their workplace without sufficient charge to make it home.
The anxiety that such a situation engenders could cause a drop in productivity. That factor alone makes it an effective strategy to offer Level 2 charging at your workplace. Instead of stressed-out employees, they’ll be free to focus on their jobs, not the drive home.
4. Restaurants and Coffee Shops
While Level 2 chargers won’t fully charge your customers’ cars as they enjoy a leisurely meal or a chat over coffee, they are still a valuable asset to your restaurant or coffee shop. As a Blink Charging post shows, Level 2 chargers can provide 20-50 miles of charge in only 1 hour.
That’s about the average length of a meal. And, as the Blink piece shows, customers “stay longer and order more” while their cars charge. That’s reason enough to install them at your eateries.
5. Theaters, Stadiums, and Concert Halls
There’s nothing more relaxing than taking in a concert or ball game, knowing that you have enough fuel in your car to get you home after it’s over. Adding Level 2 chargers to your parking lot won’t cost you much, but they can help your EV-owning patrons choose your venue over those of your competitors.
Since most attractions last around 2 hours or more, your customers can charge their cars to handle anywhere between 40 and 100 miles of travel while enjoying your venue. Happy customers tell others – and you might find yourself expanding your parking lot in no time.
6. Hotels, Motels, and Airports
Hotels, motels, and airports all share one thing in common: a parking lot full of travelers’ cars overnight or even for several days. That makes them ideal locations to install Level 2 charging facilities.
If you manage one of these facilities, having charging stations on-site can attract more guests.
Whether you generate fees from your chargers or offer them as complimentary amenities, the inflow of more customers will increase your overall revenue.
7. Universities, Community Colleges, and High Schools
Many forward-thinking universities have already installed EV charging facilities in their parking lots. But they didn’t stop there. Several of them are working on leading-edge research projects to make EVs and EV charging infrastructure more affordable and efficient.
However, many community college students and older high school students commute to school. Providing them with charging facilities they can use while in class or studying in the library can help them save time and money.
8. Auto Dealerships
While most Tesla stores have consistently offered charging facilities to their customers, other dealerships have been slow to adopt EV charging options for their customers. However, those that do can realize increased sales for their EV models.
Level 2 chargers can provide customers with a few extra miles without breaking your dealership’s budget. Combining charging services with your maintenance department can provide repair customers with more than a perfectly running car – a fully charged one.
Having chargers on-site can also ensure that all cars in your EV inventory are fully charged for test drives and deliveries. Your sales teams, too, will become more enthusiastic about your EV lines when they see how easy driving and charging an EV can be.
9. Shopping Centers and Grocery Stores
As a BTC Power post predicts, EVs will likely become the world’s top light vehicle choice “as early as 2028.” Shopping centers and grocery stores should prepare for a more EV-centered future by installing EV chargers in their parking lots.
The average number of minutes a shopper spends in a grocery store is about 41 minutes. That makes Level 2 charging an excellent choice for providing customers with plenty of miles at a lower cost than DC fast chargers.
Shoppers spend even more time in shopping centers. An average shopper will spend about an hour in both open-air shopping centers and outlet malls, according to a Statista report. As one might expect, shoppers spend a little more time browsing through indoor malls, as a Wall Street Journal piece reported.
In any case, retail shopping centers would also be wise to take advantage of Level 2 chargers’ low cost to attract – and keep – new customers. Get in on the ground floor of EV charging, and you’ll stay one step ahead of your competitors.
10. Parks, Libraries, Courthouses, and other Public Facilities
Providing a place for residents to charge their cars has become a top priority among growing communities. Since some residents may not have charging facilities at home or nearby, having publicly available charging services can help the community grow – and its tax revenue with it.
Level 2 chargers are ideal for public facilities because they don’t require the high costs associated with purchasing and installing DC fast chargers. Since most residents spend significant time conducting business or enjoying their time off in public facilities, they can obtain enough power during that time to get them to their next destinations.
Discover More About the Benefits of EV Charging at the EV Charging Summit & Expo
Learn even more about all the ways installing EV charging stations can benefit your business at the EV Charging Summit & Expo. With informative presentations from some of the top minds in the industry, you’ll come away inspired to put your knowledge to work. Reserve your place at the Summit today!
